China-Japan Security Relations

Writing Policy Briefings

Aims:

• Differences between reports and essays
• Parts of a policy briefing
• The language of policy briefings

1. The parts of a policy briefing

Q1.1 What is the most logical order for the following parts of a policy briefing paper?

Q1.2 Write the section names into the first column of the Table “Policy Briefings”.

2. Content

Q2.1 What sort of content do you expect to find in each part?

(Imagine you are explaining this to another student.)

Work with a partner and write what you think in Column A. Content in the table.

Don’t correct yet – SS have to compare these answers to their answers in Column D

3. Language

Q3.1 What features (words, tenses, phrases, etc.) would you expect to find in the different sections?

Work with a partner and write your ideas in the table in Column B. Language.

Don’t correct yet – SS have to compare these answers to their answers in Column C

At this point we have been making intelligent guesses. Now lets look at an actual policy brief

4. Parts of an authentic example

Look at the sheets with extracts taken from a policy brief about relations between Japan and China.

Q4.1 Look at the four extracts from a policy briefing. With a partner:

a)      Put the sheets in the correct order.

b)      Decide on the best description of the content in each sheet and write it in the space provided on the sheet. Choose from:

• Context,
• Critique,
• Recommendations,
• Executive Summary.

5. Language of an authentic example

Look closely at the sections of the policy brief example.

Q5.1 What language features (words, tenses, phrases etc.) can you see in the different parts?

Work with a partner and write your ideas in Column C Language.

Q5.2 Are there any differences from the answers you put in Column B Language?

6. Content of an authentic example

Look again at the sections of the policy brief example. Work with a partner.

Q6.1. What content do you find in each section?

a)      Think about the purpose of each section. What is the writer hoping to achieve? What type of content is in each section?

b)      Note your answers in Column D Content.

Q6.1. Are there any differences from your answers in Column A Content?